UC Participates in Reading Awareness Month

A 10-year effort to ignite a read aloud movement in the United States was launched during National Reading Awareness Month, March 2012. The University of Cincinnati is joining in the effort.

“We want to change social norms,” says ReadAloud.org co-founder Candace Kendle, a recent member of the UC Board of Trustees. “We want to see reading aloud every day for 15 minutes become one of the essential routines of child care, as normal as daily tooth brushing.”

ReadAloud.org’s goal is to have every child being read aloud to by a parent or loved one for 15 minutes every day. The decade-long 15 Minute Movement will be a massive public awareness effort, spearheaded by partners in cities throughout the nation that will rally grassroots support through local awareness efforts and community outreach.

Representing UC at the Cincinnati kickoff event were Provost Santa Ono, Executive Vice President Karen Faaborg, and Larry Johnson, dean of UC’s College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services.

“The School of Education in CECH will have each of its teacher prep students distribute information to five adults about the importance of Reading Aloud to their children each day during National Reading Awareness Month,” said Holly Johnson, director of the School of Education. “As a follow up to this initiative, courses that utilize children’s and young adult literature will include a read aloud component to their required assignments.” 

This read aloud effort will unite diverse groups that touch the lives of children from birth to age 8 under its single message. Read Aloud affiliates in Northern Michigan, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have already rallied groups as diverse as McDonald’s franchises, Rotary Clubs, Friends of the Library, and elementary schools to the cause of reading aloud.

Throughout the month of March, Read Aloud affiliates will stage events that spread awareness about the importance of reading aloud every day. Then the campaign will continue its efforts year-round, punctuated with ramp-ups around the start of the school year as well as the end of the school year to help combat the “summer slide.”

For more information see the ReadAloud website: http://www.readaloud.org/news.html